By Investors Hub
European stocks have moved higher on Tuesday as upbeat economic reports helped investors shrug off worries over US political risks, the suspected terrorist attack in the UK and the lack of progress on Greek debt talks.
While the UK’s FTSE 100 Index has inched up by 0.1 percent, the German DAX Index is up by 0.5 percent and the French CAC 40 Index is up by 0.7 percent.
Nokia shares have jumped after the Finnish network giant settled a patent dispute with Apple. Severn Trent has also moved higher after the British water utility upgraded its dividend policy after reporting an increase in annual profits.
HomeServe shares have surged in London after the repair and insurance firm posted a big jump in full-year profits and hiked its dividend for the year by 20 percent.
Vivendi has also advanced on a Wall Street Journal report that the French media firm could float a minority stake in Universal Music Group.
On the flip side, Switzerland’s Clariant has dropped after announcing a tie-up with U.S. competitor Huntsman.
In economic news, the eurozone private sector logged the fastest growth in six years in May, flash data from IHS Markit showed.
The flash composite output index came in at 56.8, unchanged from April’s six-year high, while economists expected the index to fall slightly to 56.7.
Other reports on German business sentiment, German GDP and French manufacturing sentiment also painted a positive picture of regional economies.
The pound slipped against both the euro and the dollar after official data showed Britain recorded a larger-than-forecast budget deficit in the first month of the new fiscal year.
Dipo Olowookere 
Adedapo Adesanya